The present invention relates to the distribution of utilities in open office plans and the like, and in particular to a utility floor construction.
Modern offices are becoming increasingly complicated and sophisticated due largely to the ever increasing needs of the users for improved utilities support at each workstation, such as communications, computers and other types of date processors, electronic displays, etc., including physical accommodations, such as lighting, HVAC, security, and the like. For example, modern offices for highly skilled "knowledge workers" such as engineers, accountants, stock brokers, computer programmers, etc., are typically provided with multiple pieces of very specialized computer and communications equipment that are capable of processing information from numerous local and remote data resources to assist in solving incredibly complex problems. Such equipment has very stringent power and signal requirements, and must quickly and efficiently interface with related equipment at both adjacent and remote locations. Work areas with readily controllable lighting, HVAC, sound masking, and other physical support systems, are also highly desirable to maximize worker creativity and productivity. Many other types of high technology equipment and facilities are also presently being developed which will find their place in the workplaces of the future.
One important consequence of the advent of sophisticated electronic offices is the increased need and desirability for distributing utilities throughout the various offices in a manner which can be readily reconfigured. The term "utilities" as used herein incorporates a wide variety of facilities for use at a workstation, including security devices, electrical power, signal and/or communications, HVAC, water and other fluids, and other similar resources. The ability to provide the worker with ready access to all of these utilities is clearly advantageous in the quest to promote worker well being and effectiveness.
The efficient use of building floor space is also an ever growing concern, particularly as building costs continue to escalate. Open office plans have been developed to reduce overall officing costs, and generally incorporate large, open floor spaces in buildings that are equipped with modular furniture systems which are readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever changing needs of a specified user, as well as the divergent requirements of different tenants. One arrangement commonly used for furnishing open plans includes movable partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual workstation and/or offices. Such partition panels are configured to receive hang-on furniture units, such as worksurfaces, overhead cabinets, shelves, etc., and are generally known in the office furniture industry as "systems furniture". Another arrangement for dividing and/or partitioning open plans includes modular furniture arrangements, in which a plurality of differently shaped, freestanding furniture units are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, with upstanding privacy screens attached to at least some of the furniture units to create individual, distinct workstations and/or offices. Both of these types of modular furniture systems, as well as others, have been widely received due largely to their ability to be readily reconfigured and/or moved to a new site, since they are not part of a permanent leasehold improvement.
In order to gain increased efficiency in the use of expensive office real estate, attempts are now being made to try to support high paid knowledge workers with these types of modular furniture systems in open office settings, instead of conventional private offices. However, in order to insure peak efficiency of such knowledge workers, the workstations must be equipped with the various state-of-the-art utilities and facilities discussed above. Since such workstations must be readily reconfigurable to effectively meet the ever changing needs of the user, the distribution and control of utilities throughout a comprehensive open office plan has emerged as a major challenge to the office furniture industry.
At present, some types of modular furniture systems, such as selected portable partition panels and freestanding furniture units can be equipped with an optional powerway, which extends along the entire width of the unit, and has quick-disconnect connectors adjacent opposite ends thereof to connect with adjacent, like powerways, and thereby provide electrical power to an associated furniture group or cluster. Outlet receptacles are provided along each powerway into which electrical appliances can be plugged. Cable troughs or channels are also provided in most such furniture units, so as to form a system of interconnected raceways into which signal and communications wires can be routed. Such cabling is normally routed through the furniture system after the furniture units are installed, and is then hard wired at each of the desired outlets. While this type of distribution system has proven somewhat effective, the types of utilities provided are rather limited, and their distribution is not wholly modular, thereby resulting in higher installation and reconfiguration costs. The inherent nature of modular furniture systems, which permits them to be readily reconfigured into different arrangements, makes it very difficult to achieve adequate utility distribution.
It is generally known to use a false floor construction to provide a space for routing utilities in an office complex. It is also known that certain sensitive utilities such as data lines and "clean" power source lines must be separated from other "unclean" lines such as general power source lines to prevent cross-contamination and interference. However, existing known floor constructions do not adequately provide for shielding, segregation and separation while also providing adequate flexibility of cable routing, ingress and egress. Further, many flooring constructions are expensive and/or cannot be adequately rigidly interconnected to form as solid of a floor as desired. One way of compensating for this is by increasing the bulk of the flooring, however this can be expensive and costly. Further, it is desirable to provide a floor construction having a minimum of thickness so that the system does not unnecessarily use up vertical space, which vertical space is particularly important in buildings having a low ceiling height. Still further, modularity is desired so that the floor construction can be mass produced for minimum cost, and yet installed in custom arrangements on site.